Sign for Nelsons Ale House, Blandford Forum

Image: © Maigheach-gheal Taken: 19 Jan 2008

One of the many signs referring to Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson (1758-1805), one of England's greatest heroes. All in all one can safely say that there are more pubs named for him, directly or indirectly, than any other person. He was born at Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk and died on board the Victory at Trafalgar. His naval career began in 1770, and by the age of twenty-one he was a post-captain. He came to real notice in the 1790s, in the war with France. His destruction of the French fleet at Aboukir (1798) ended Napoleon I's plan of conquest in the East. In 1801 he defeated the Danes at Copenhagen, but his greatest victory was at Trafalgar, where he destroyed the combined French and Spanish fleets. Before the battle he had hoisted the famous signal 'England expects that every man will do his duty'. In private his life Nelson had become involved with Emma, Lady Hamilton, wife of the British envoy to Naples. He left his wife for her, and they had a daughter, Horatia. Nelson had lost an arm in battle, and the sight of one eye, which gave rise to the famous instance when he put his spy-glass to his blind eye so that he could not see a signal from his admiral to retreat. He went on to win the day against the Danes.

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